Obama Valentine’s Day Splurge Priced at Up To $300

President and Mrs. Obama spent Valentine’s Day with the One Percent Tuesday, shelling out up to $300 for dinner for two at the high-end Vermilion restaurant outside of Washington.

Michelle just recently completed a three-day tour of the nation promoting her “Let’s Move” health and fitness initiative, during which she was depicted in a widely circulated photograph passing around a bowl of salad at an inexpensive Olive Garden restaurant.

But the press was not even permitted to take a peek at the Obamas last night as they feasted at one of the Washington area’s trendiest upscale joints.

What’s more, the Obamas warmed the earth a bit as their multi-car, fossil-fuel-burning motorcade roared out of Washington for a 25 minute trip to the Alexandria, Va. restaurant.

On tap for the Valentine’s Day at Vermillon was a special five-course tasting menu priced at $75 per person, with an extra charge of $35 if you wanted wine paired with the offerings.

It’s a fairly safe bet to assume the Obamas went for the wine, which would bring the tab to $110 per person. Add in a nine percent sales tax and 20 percent tip and we’re up to $288 for dinner.

If the Obamas did even a little better than most wealthy diners – this is an election year, afterall – a generous presidential tip, or a few bucks for the busboy, could easily have brought the dinner to $300.

Carfare was all taken care of, courtesy of the taxpayers.

On the tasting menu last night were a host of mouth watering delicacies generally unavailable to the 99 percent, including:

curdo of Virginia fluke with celery-apple remoulade & American caviar;

489 Responses to Obama Valentine’s Day Splurge Priced at Up To $300

Did the Secret Service clear the place out so the dictator in chief and Mooch could have it to themselves? Would not want to dine with all those evil rich people around, might not be good for the digestion.

Aside from the fact that the two Moochers that occupy the WH are hell-bent on showing off their ‘rags to riches’ imperialism, when was the last time a sitting President and wife ever, ever ventured outside the confines of the WH except for official business? They are nothing but world-class exhibitionists -drunk with power! A public sighting of the POTUS used to be a rare event but in this case, the Obamas are as common and unwelcome as house flies!

They lie, they manipulate, they live off other’s $$$, they project false images of themselves, they try to ‘lord over’ their ideas of how we should live, they look down on others, they display a racist attitude , they pander for votes, they go to church only around election time….but boy! do they eat gooooood !

We already have a truth squad it’s called being smart enough not to be taken in by the Obama’s lies and general BS. We were the truth squad first! What will Media Matters do follow all of us? Gonna need a lot more lemmings.

Here come the comments a la “can’t a man take his wife out for a nice meal on Valentine’s Day.” No mention of the costs involved in hauling the Premiere Lovey-Dovey Couple around Washington so they chan have their trendy little “tasting-menu thrills.”

Keith — it’s “peek,” not “peak.” A common mistake, but the sort of thing that sometimes leads to unfortunate meanings in sentences. Here’s a memory-aid, “EEEEEEEEEk, they screeched when they took a peek from the moumtain peak.”

JLSCHLEZELLE, unfortunately for you your compasion lies between the cheeks of your ass. Some people aren’t as lucky as you. Some people do have to live of a measily $700 to $1200 per month, and it is extremely difficult to maintain a family with nourishment and still have to pay the bills while the rest pay for the White House pompous, ungodly ones night out on our dime.

So, you think Romney ($50 Million Man), or Gingrich ($500,000 Tiffany’s account) are going to eat Burger King if they get to the White House? Don’t you people understand that all politicians come from the elite, and if they don’t, why would we vote for unachieving losers?

John U. is implying that the failed economic policies of the Obama administration not only hits him hard by reducing economic opportunity so that he is revenue strapped, but that they are killing him and his family on the supply side too, as the cost of many goods have skyrocketed due to inflationary policies committed by the President and his ilk. All the while, the President and wife are eating cake – Marie Antoinette style, without a hint of empathy, much less sympathy – they are out of touch.

50 million dollar man would be expected to improve the employment opportunities and stanch the inflationary pricing growth by installing more sensible, freer market options.

Exception: Rep. Candidate Ron Paul, serving 12 consecutive congressional terms, refused to accept the congressional pension because he felt it was overspending taxpayer funds. When elected president, has vowed to only accept the mean annual income of Americans: $39,000.

Then maybe you should use some ingenuity proactively come up with some extra money instead of taking out your frustration over your own inadequacies on those who have put forth the effort and ambition to gain what they have.

Hey Scott – The US tax payer is calling, how about you pull that melon out of your backside and realize that these “inadequacies” as you say are happening to millions of middle class tax folks all across this country. They were not feeling this pinch so directly until the joker in chief Oblama took the reigns.

I’m all for taking care of yourself but there are only so many hours in a day and not everyone has a disposal income or the barrier to protect forever from flat/depressed wages and skyrocketing prices. The average family has needed to make huge cutbacks in what they buy and how they maneuver through daily expenses. Nothing ticks these people off more than when they see waste in government and reckless spending because they are using the bottomless bucket of tax payer dollars.

Some of you can’t stand the fact that an economy recovering, Bin Laden killing President has a night out with his wife. I’ve never seen bigger sore losers and whinier victims then some of you. Give it a rest. You got Romney. Yikes!

‘Recovering’ as in gas is recovering its record high price levels? In what alternate universe do you reside where this economy would be considered ‘recovering’? Last month, 1.2 million people who want to work simply dropped out of the job search-do you think they think we’re in a recovery? How about those underwater with their mortgages. Do they think we’re in a ‘recovery’?

Great that he took his bride to dinner, not very expensive considering. POTUS seems to be a good husband and father, no arguement. The problem is WHAT they ate… We are expected to graze on salad, low fat dressing, reduced meat and healthy fruit for dessert… As for his destroying the nation with his radical policies… another story.

These two truly can’t stand each other as evidenced by the fact that twice she left for Hawaii without him; and she left three hours earlier than him to go to Cape Cod (which is only a one-hour flight). And when he is in Hawaii, he’s visiting friends and playing golf – never with her. My money says these two will be divorced within 5 years after we kick them to the curb in January 2013.

The people of this nation struggle to dig themselves out of the worst recession in decades. In the meantime and while feeling everyone’s pain, Louis the Sixteenth and his bride, Mooch Antoinette dine out. Hey, MMfA, bring it on.

Well, aren’t you smug? Particularly solid reporting with all of those assumptions. I like reporters who base their stories on safe bets. Were you busy covering this from home last night because you had nothing better to do or because this is really your passion?

The man – who makes six figures a year- took his wife out for a nice dinner. Deal with it.

Did you pay for the motorcade, the extra security work involved, ZG? Did Obama pay for this? Answer to both questions is “no.”

Do the Obamas have 24-hour kitchen service in the White House, where they could have been just as lovey dovey, perhaps moreso? Answer to that one is “yes.”

So, who paid for the man who makes six figures a year to take his wife out and spend $300? The taxpayers paid and they paid far more than $300. Perhaps the Obama-lovers could set up a private fund to pay for The One and The Wife’s good time traveling.

“What’s more, the Obamas warmed the earth a bit as their multi-car, fossil-fuel-burning motorcade roared out of Washington for a 25 minute trip to the Alexandria, Va. restaurant.” but I’m so relieved, as Jay Carney noted yesterday, that the president is acutely aware of the price of gas. thank goodness, I was beginning to think he was totally disconnected from the plight of the middle class.

I’m sorry, but spending $300 for a special occasion dinner is not that far outside the realm of reasonableness. It’s not $1000. You guys really need to relax. You are aware that the President (regardless of which party controls the WH) makes $400,000 a year, right? And this author is pathetic. Pointing out that the taxpayer pays for the car service? Seriously? Are we supposed to expect our president to hail a cab? I’m sure you felt the same way about Bush, right? You are insane. This is so tiring to read. Concentrate on the things that you should justifiably be angry about, not this.

The Bush’s were happy to stay in and dine on White House fare holidays included. How many times in 8 years did we see George and Laura all dressed up dragging a motorcade behind them for a date or dinner at a ritzy restaurant? I will wait while our new friends count them up could be a long wait. Like for the Obama budget.

And they scarffed down all this rich, fattening, meat-heavy, veggie-light (or absent) food while the food police – at Mooch’s prompting – confiscated a turkey sandwich from a 4th grader because it was not healthy. Hypocrisy, thy name is Obama.

We look to our leaders to set examples and connect to us. For instance, Jimmy Carter told us to turn down our thermostats in winter, as least he did too at the White House, remember the sweaters ! Obama tells us to sacrifice, but keeps the WH at orchid growing temps.

I don’t begrudge the 1% for enjoying the fruits of their labor, but the Obamas continue to rub those fruits in our faces.

Never in my life would I think that a paper bag meal with a turkey sandwich, fruit and fruit juice would be “unhealthy”. The Progs are so famous on saying “stay out of the bedroom” . . . yet, they think it is fine to get into our paper bag lunch.

You would think they would spend their “last” 2/14 at the Whitehouse enjoying a meal prepared by the company chef and staff not requiring a motorcade to go out of town. Meanwhile the wife and I had take out Chinese and made sure we “ate our peas”.

It’s not the $300 tab for dinner, it’s the hipocrasy. Do what I say, not what I do. They shove french fries, ice cream, cheesecake, etc…while telling us “little people” to watch what we eat. Now they have food police confiscating turkey sandwiches! Can you not see the problem?

Either their motorcade or the Chinese Vice President’s (Premier, whatever he is) managed to snarl traffic at H, I, K streets in the MIDDLE of the evening rush hour. They continue to see themselves as above everyone else. It’s pretty sad for someone who proclaims to be humble. Would it devistate Michelle if the food came to them? They do have the most majestic view in Washington, D.C. and I’m sure the Secret Service could get the food from door to door in 10 minutes or less. Of course the same could be said about the President’s jaunts 4 blocks up to the Jefferson, which end up forbidding locals from walking to lunch unless they detour 5 blocks out of the way. This November, DC metro area unites in asking one question in the debates: Will you pledge to not be part of our traffic problem and order in??

and, the rest of the country will enjoy eating salad and Mac N Cheese with a $12.00 bouquet of flowers and a box of cheap chocolates from Wally-Mart with their loved one. Wow, it must be nice to be part of the 1/2% that the taxpayers are supporting. Thank You Prez. and Ms Obama for your leadership and stellar example. Your subjects are humbled for the privileged to serve you and the royal family.

Oh, Larry . . . it isn’t that hard to be in better shape than Michelle. Have you not watched her walk away from the cameras?

I will never forget the disgrace of the picture of her walking up the steps at the WH after greeting the Merkels before a State Dinner. She had on very little under garments, and it clear showed it. Don’t they have mirrors in the WH?

as a “journalist” I would hope you’d know that “truffel” is actually spelled truffle, “trumpet” mushrooms should have a “u” in the word- not trmpet- and an Italian raw fish dish is called “crudo”, not curdo.

And my guess is Piedmontese should be capitalized since it refers to the Piedmont region.

And my anger is not the price of the dinner so much as the expense to taxpayers of getting two people (who have a wonderful kitchen staff in a mansion) to a secret dinner in an upscale restaurant. They should have stayed home and spared the taxpayers the expense. And I find it hypocritcal that they do these things and impose a press blackout on them. MoochMORE sure likes to be photographed when she’s hopping around and hobnobbing with celebs. What’s different about a taxpayer-funded food blast? Yes, the taxpayers paid for everything involved EXCEPT the $300 dinner tab.

Those two disgusting hypocrites have no shame. He attacks the rich in classic Marxist manner while emulating the life style of a billionaire. She tells the country to slim down and eat carrots while she stuffs her face with the most expensive and fattening foods on the menu.

Mao lived in imperial splendor while mounting his revolution also. This was, of course, enabled by his inner circle and propaganda machine. The funny thing is, Obama’s press loves the crumbs of access to the “One” so much that they prefer it to any meat that might be granted them as committed journalists with integrity by exposing the many scandals that lurk behind the curtain. Obama is a fool and he has made fools of the MSM… they are blinded by their own conceit and have lost any credibilty as a result. History will show the press to be complicit in every scandal, and citizen journalists will be the ones exposing the crimes.

Oh yeah Cherylynn he uses his own money for those pricey vacations *which he has had so many of them since he came into office*. To build off of the vacations the two can’t even use the same plane for some ungoddly reason, so one takes Air Force One the other takes a pimped out C-17. These vacations…. I’m sorry one of these vacations alone cost more than his overall income since he came into office.

Wishful thinking much? When gas hits $5-6 per gallon and food continues to skyrocket while BO keeps bending to small interest groups, his chances are very limited. Of course, we do need to keep into account all of the voter fraud that will happen again in order to keep the Os in our WH,

Why can’t they just eat IN the White House ever? I’d give ANYTHING to have a cook prepare a meal for me, to eat it in some cloth-covered elegant room in the historical White House … isn’t that good enough?

These two have always got to dash around town, in their motorcades, seeking out the swankiest, most upscale places anyone could dream of. Always have to drop the big bucks. Don’t their voters ever wonder about this?

Anytime you get a link from Drudge, you get the crazies. I watch with continued amazement at the depth of their incoherent anger. I didn’t understand it when it was directed at Bush by the left wing nuts, and I certainly don’t get this new breed of right wing “Nobama” folks. You all do realize that under our system of Government, the president actually has very little power, right? That everything must be accomplished by the Congress, who pass our laws and fund our agencies, and that the agencies, which are largely non-ideological civil servants that continue from administration to administration, merely implement the laws that Congress passes, right? Do you? It just seems like everyone needs to take a deep breath and do a little civics brush-up and remember that the President of the United States is not the cause of, or cure for, all of your problems. I’m sure it makes you feel better to think so, though, so whatever.

Attack of the Utopians. You and your superior attitude ought to go read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. You can learn more about how our system of government is supposed to work from those two documents than you can in any socialist school of higher learning. Pay particular attention to the Declaration of Independence, the Facts submitted in response to King George’s tyranny are eerily similar to the despotic acts this small vain man and his America-hating wife have wrought on this country.

How funny! Can’t miss a Bush-bash opportunity — and you criticize him because in your imagination he goes to bed early.

Pay the bill for the motorcade and extra security involved in moving this spoiled couple to a fancy restaurant and I’ll agree with you, except for the hang-up over Bush. I never cared for him, but I do remember that he hasn’t been President for three years now and it’s time to judge the Obamas on their own real behavior, not your imaginary pictures of how Bush lived.

You gotta love this. Health nut moochelle is having lobster. Do you know how fatty lobster is? how about the rock fish with butter? not worried abou cholosterol? What about the pancetta? the sodium content is over 920mg. That’s as much salt as a Big Mac. But she is the health expert. Want to know my wife and I had for Valentines dinner? Stuffed manicotti with ricotta cheese, and chicken parmegian. real healthy food. Our cost $3.99 per serving from Swanson’s TV dinners. That’s all we can afford after my wife’s job relocated to Malaysia and my firm laid off 8500 people in December due to a down turn in the economy. I hope you and your wife choked on your dinner

I live “outside” Washington in Alexandria VA where Vermillion is. Several years ago I took my wife there for Valentine’s day. I didn’t spend anywhere near $300 -even with a 20% tip. The place is good, but not great -I know of two “better” places in Alexandria alone, not to mention downtown DC and the other surrounding suburbs. Don’t get me wrong, this President’s policies are a disaster as far as I am concerned, but I’m skeptical of this article’s bent. Any President has the right to take his wife out to dinner, the cost of the Secret Service is alreay built in to cost of business. The guy has made millions from idiots buying his books -he can spend it how he wants.

“… the cost of the Secret Service is alreay built in to cost of business.”

No, it’s not. Routine Secret Service protection is, but not these special occasion events. Security has to be put in place at the restaurant after it is inspected. There aren’t dozens of Secret Service agents sitting around doing nothing and waiting to be needed — the cost comes out in extra staff and over-time costs. I wonder how many agents, chauffeurs, etc., didn’t get to spend Valentine’s Day with their loved one because The One and The Wife had to have their little treat.

As if Republican presidents haven’t done the same, or spent more money on extravagance. Who cares. What exactly was going to happen at dinner that a camera had to be in their faces the entire time? If they ate at Chili’s you would all be yelling that he was trying to look middle class.

A quicker comment for all of you haters would be along the lines of “Once again I do not agree with the president. There is nothing he will do that will make me happy with him.” And then you can copy and paste it on every message board. You’ll then have time to do something constructive with your lives

You miss the point entirely. They are the “do as I say not as I do” administration. Don’t preach that Americans should eat rabbit food and tighten their money belts and then go out in public and flaunt their expensive, high calorie dinner…I don’t give a s*** if it’s Valentines Day or groundhogs day, it’s just wrong.

Seriously who cares! This country faces much more important problems than whether the president goes out to nice dinners. Is the transportation and security a waste of tax payer money? Maybe. Then again do we want the president to just be holed up all the time? No matter whether you agree with his policies or not, the job is hard. Just look at how much every president ages. But like I said WHO CARES! Lets get back to the real problems. Like the fact that this administration is risking sending Canada’s oil to China and thinks its acceptable to force insurance payers to pay for something they might find morally reprehensible. Yes, the fact that insurers now have to provide contraception for free is laughable. Do you really believe that the insurance companies are going to take this out of their bottom line out of the goodness of their hearts? No! Instead we all must now share the burden. I have nothing against birth control, but I do not believe it is right to make those who oppose it pay for it. This is the land of the free, not the land of the you must do this and that and everything else I believe.

Who cares. I do not care what they spend on dinners, but yes I do care when the taxpayers are on the hoof for security. Presidents are allotted a certain amount to spend and Obama has far gone over that amount. Time he either pays for it himself or start walking or riding a bike to where he is going.

All times Eastern Live stream of White House briefing at 12:15 pm Live stream of Netanyahu address to Congress at 10:30 am

Quote of the Day

"I just want to take a moment to announce that the Mosul attack is now officially a surprise attack. I repeat, the Mosul attack is now officially a suprise. It also is being delayed until June. Thank you."

- Barack Obama

A note from our attorneys: This is not a real quote

Please Contribute

An $18 donation is just five cents a day for a year of White House news and accountability.

Donate when you shop!

This is so easy! Support White House Dossier by clicking here when you shop Amazon. Bookmark it and use it as your link to Amazon.

The link will look like a normal Amazon link, but WHD will receive a percentage of the price of your order. It doesn't cost you a thing or affect your shopping.